In response to the Evidence Act, the Office of Management and Budget issued M-20-12, a memorandum that provides high-level guidance on federal program evaluation standards and practices. The standards included in this guidance – rigor, relevance and utility, independence and objectivity, transparency, and ethics – have been recognized for their usefulness and importance across both federal and non-federal evaluation communities. This brief aims to clarify the meaning of each standard.

https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_legacy_files//200386/hhs-evaluation-policy.pdf